Batik Seragen, indonesian

These    two    batik    sub-centers    are supported by    many    batik    home industriy   vilages,   located   adjacent each other. These two batik sub-center are neighbors and only separated by Bengawan Solo river, Plupuh in north-side and Masaran in south-side respectively, The villages of Pilang, Sidodadi, and Kliwonan are located in the south of Bengawan Solo river and part of Masaran sub-district. Due to being located alongside the river (Bengawan Solo river) – they are called “Girli” (Pinggir Kali- Javanese language) and their batik home industies are also known as “Batik Girli” (Edge of the River Batik). There are about 4,817 batik craftman in their two batik sub-centers and employing at least 7,072 workers Accessibility Most Batik craftman live in Kliwonan village. The quantity of products produced by Kliwonan craftman is the largest one. Therefore, the area producing batik in Sragen region is later better known as Kliwonan batik center. The Sragen local government, then established it as an integrated tourism area, which is called the tourism village of Batik Kliwonan. Kliwonan village is once appointed to be the center of the developing, training, and marketing of batik. 

The Tourism Village of Kliwonan Batik is located about 12 KM south of Sragen city, 15 KM northeast of Solo city and has been equipped with adequate public infrastructures and facilities. When arriving at this tourism batik village, the tourism can not go for shopping, they can also watch the batik processing closely, such as the drying process, dyeing process, motif design, coating process with paraffin, and the final process of making batik.

The Sragen Batik style was originally similar

to that of Solo style, especially in the ‘80s. This is not surprising, because the pioneers of batik in  Sragen  had  previously  experienced  working as laborers in Solo batik industries. Sragen batik industries then develop their own characteristic successfully, different from those of Yogyakarta and Surakarta batik.

The Sragen batik craftman generally produce various types of batik, handmade (hand-writing), stamps, printing, and the combinations. However, most of the craftman still maintain hand-writing batik on primisma cloth. This traditional techniques (Sragen hand-writing batik) has showed the remarkable ability to survive within the high competition recently. By maintaining its traditional technique,   Kliwonan batik craftman are considered as rare exotic assets that has to be preserved. This is really the appeal of Kliwonan batik tourism village.

The high competitiveness of Sragen batik is not a mere figment. Although carried   out only by home industry-based products located in rural villages, their   production capacities can not be underestimated. It can be seen, that the cotton type  batik    produced  in  2005  achieved  about 50,000 pieces, while silk type batik   of manual loom machines reached 365,000 pieces. Not surprisingly that Sragen could be the contender of Pekalongan and Surakarta as the major regions of batik producers.

Indeed, their success do not lead Sragen batik craftman to forget themselves. The people living in “Girli” batik centers area are known to be a religious community. They are also to be friendly, courteous, and please to guests. The Islam - the religion  of  the  majority  population  in  Girly batik center - teachs to honour guests.   That is the doctrine that has really been a lifeline to be implemented in their daily life . Source KIna edisi khusus.